The present invention relates to an adjustable shelf assembly, in combination with a rigid canopy that overrides and is secured to the side walls of a pickup truck, where the assembly is adjustable to fit varying distances between the respective side walls. The assembly is lightweight, yet sufficiently rigid to transport a variety of camping gear, tools, etc. When desired to open the full canopy space to sleep, for example, the assembly may be readily removed and stored.
The prior art contains a number of patents directed to camper accessories as reflected in the following patents:
a.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,710, to Gianelo, teaches an under platform drawer adapted for mounting on a utility vehicle. The drawer is adapted to increase the storage capability of the vehicle while not affecting the previously provided storage area. The drawer includes a pair of parallelly mounted guide tracks adapted to be secured orthogonally to the longitudinally extending frame members of the truck's chassis. A pair of parallelly positioned guides are displaceably mounted on the guide tracks. A storage drawer is fixedly mounted to the guides whereby the drawer may be extended outwardly or returned inwardly along an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
b.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,898, to Williams, relates to a combination storage unit/auxiliary bed liner assembly for nesting engagement onto the bed of a pickup truck. The storage unit covers the entire open area of the pickup bed, with the space between the auxiliary bed liner and the truck bed being partitioned to provide multiple storage compartments. A top-opening auxiliary storage compartment is formed on each side of the two rear wheel well regions. Two pull-out drawers are received within adjoining central compartments and extend substantially the entire length of the truck bed. The pull-out drawers provide secure storage compartments for tools and equipment, and also serve as work tables. The auxiliary cargo deck liner is supported by interior side panels, a central partition and engagement of saddle/bridge deck portions onto wheel well flanges.
c.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,992, to Hamilton et al., is directed to a storage box suspended on side rails in such a manner that it can be slid along the length of the cargo compartment of a conventional pickup truck bed. The storage box can be easily opened from the front or rear of the cargo bed. The top panel can be completely removed from the storage box while it is held in a confined space with limited headroom.
d.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,731, to Knaack et al., teaches a drawer-type storage unit for use in a vehicle having a floor defining a floor space having a horizontally accessible access position. The storage unit defines a raised floor when installed on the vehicle floor which is adapted to support a load in a manner similar to the vehicle floor itself. The storage unit includes a drawer formed of a plurality of U-shaped channels having the legs thereof welded together and having hemmed top edges. The drawer includes a front wall which is recessed within the storage unit housing in the closed position thereof and sealed to the top and sidewalls of the housing so as to effectively prevent passage of water and other environmental materials into the drawer in the closed position. The rear of the housing is sealingly closed. The storage unit includes a number of different rigidifying structures to provide a high strength and rigidity therein. The drawer is carried on a heavy duty roller bearing slider for facilitated movement thereof between the closed and open positions.
e.) U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,326, to Tuohy, III, relates to a tool box that allows a truck owner to access tools without having to climb in or out of the truck. The tool box consists of a frame having rollers which are received in a pair of channels fastened to the inside of the truck bed. It further includes a pole with a hook for pulling or pushing the box, and the pole also serves to render the box stationary when the truck is in motion.
f.) U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,027, to Temp, discloses a broad drawer unit for a pickup truck, more precisely, the unit comprises a false load-carrying floor above the bed with a large drawer, fitting between the bed and such false floor and arranged as a relatively complete kitchen and commissary unit. The unit is mounted on the portion of the truck in such a manner that the unit may be readily pulled out for use when the rear end tailgate is lowered, or fully retracted into the portion to then allow closing of the tailgate.
While the prior art offers various methods to better utilize the bed of a pickup truck, none present an adjustable shelf that works in combination with a rigid canopy or camper shell. The manner by which the present invention provides a convenient and removable, extra storage space within a vehicular camper shell will become apparent in the further description, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.